Goblin Princess
by PeaceLightVictory
Summary: "Tell me the story again Mum! Tell me the story about how you and Da found me." How Jareth and Shaylee got their youngest child, Ella. One-shot


**Author's Note: I finally wrote this and got it posted! Yay! :D Took me longer than expected because of going to school and the first week of classes. Lots of fun here in college! =)**

**This is dedicated to PyroRoxas, KijoKuroi, SummoningShadows18, and DarkxSonata. You guys wanted a one-shot so here it is! :D Those of you who would like a spin off... I may or may not write a sequel. We shall see. I'm going to probably do a JarethxSarah eventually. For those of you just tuning in, this is a one-shot/continuation of my first story Live My Dreams (a JarethxOC) story. If you haven't read LMD, you should! ;)  
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**As usual, I don't own anything related to the movie. I do own Shaylee, Liron, Trystan, Blythe, Cornshimmer, and Ella. Enjoy the story!  
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Goblin Princess

Nighttime in the Underground is probably more magical than the Underground during the daylight. All sorts of faerie creatures prefer coming out at night to dance around faerie circles in the moonlight. When Fay kind ventured out into the Aboveground, it had always been at night. So the tradition continued on in the Underground. Lights could be seen dancing in the forests, music could be heard soaring through the air, and all sorts of merry-making sounds were playing on the wind.

Of course, not everyone could venture out at night. Not all Fays were _old_ enough to. Some little imps had to be in bed at this late hour in the Underground. There was to be no exception.

A castle, standing at the very center of a twisting and turning expanse of maze, was settling down for the night. Lights were winking out, servants were making their last rounds for the night, and goblins were burying themselves beneath the folds of comfortable blankets. If one looked closely enough at the towering structure, they could see a tiny figure sitting beside a window. Now, if the person were looking up at the tiny person in the window, they would assume that the figure was staring out over the Goblin City or the Labyrinth that surrounded it. Or perhaps the figure in the window was looking up at the stars and the moon. The person looking up at the person in the window - will probably never know.

Now the figure in the window, if you were a bird and able to fly up to examine, is a little girl. A Fay girl with black hair cut to chin length so she looked like a miniature version of Snow White, sat on a window seat with her face turned out toward the city and Labyrinth below the castle. Her wide hazel eyes stare transfixed at something in the distance and her head is tilted slightly to the side so her pointed Fay ears can pick up some noise that has piqued her interest.

A soft knock on the bedroom door alerts her of someone. The wooden door opens soundlessly as a head with curly auburn hair falling down past the woman's shoulders, peers into the room. She raises a hand to lift the candle she is holding, casting light into the room. Gray eyes stray from the empty canopy bed to the occupied window seat. A smile spreads across the heart shaped face and the woman shakes her head, her hair moving to reveal elongated and pointed Sprite ears. "You should be in bed Ella." The Sprite woman scolds kindly, stepping into the room.

Ella turned her head towards the woman and grins. "I was listening to the music, Mum."

Her mother sits down on the cushioned window seat and pulls Ella into her lap. "It is pretty isn't it?" The little girl nods her head and silence descends upon the mother and daughter as they listen to the nightly sounds. Time passes and the song ends. Shifting, the Sprite lifts her daughter and begins making her way towards the yellow covered bed. "Time for bed, Ella."

"Tell me a story, Mum! I'll fall asleep much faster if you tell me a story." The little girl begs as her mother tucks the sunshine colored blankets around her.

Chuckling, Ella's mom sits down on the edge of the bed. "What story should I tell you tonight?"

"The one about how you and Da found me!" Ella exclaims, her face radiating with an eager smile.

"You've heard that story almost every night since you were five!" Her mother groans playfully - even though she still loves the story too. "Don't normal eight-year-old girls like to hear stories about princes and princesses?"

Ella laughs. Her laugh sounds like a bubbling brook to her Sprite mother and brightens up her day as well. Ella says, "Tell me the story _again_, Mum! It _is_ a princess story 'cause I am the princess in it."

"Very well." Ella's mother agrees. She settles back against the pillows with Ella and wraps he arms around her daughter. "Several years ago..."

~*~/*\~*~

_The Goblin King met and married the love of his life, a Sprite princess who once was a servant in his palace. Jareth loved Shaylee very much and it wasn't long until she was expecting her first child. To the surprise of the Underground, the Goblin Queen gave birth to twin boys - Liron and Trystan. Of course, as everyone knows, the birth was very painful for Shaylee as it was on most Fay women who gave birth - so Jareth and Shaylee did not try to have another child. They were happy as they were with two healthy children. They were also swamped with their two mischief making sons - the boys took after both their parents in that aspect - and all the prank pulling goblins._

_Jareth also had his duties of finding homes for wished away children to contend with. He was grateful for Shaylee's help in the nursery. She enjoyed the company of children and she was always happy to see a once unloved child go to a family that would love the baby for the rest of eternity. Shaylee was secretly thankful that none of the children wished away thus far were in any way deformed or sickly because if they were, Jareth would turn them into a goblin. So the couple was happy. They had all they could ask for. It seemed like nothing could ever go wrong._

Shaylee looked about the nursery and smiled wistfully. The most recently wished away child had been given away today. With a sigh and a wave of her hand, she extinguished the magically lit crystals. She walked down the stone hallway, her red slippers not making a sound against the floor. _I'll go see what the boys are doing_, she thought to herself. Shaylee wanted to hug her sons and sing to them, reminisce back to when they were infants. Shaking her head the young woman frowned and laughed at herself at the same time. "Liron and Trystan will complain if I treat them like that."

Teleporting herself the rest of the way to the bedroom her sons shared, Shaylee took a moment to look around the messy room. No matter how many times the poor cleaning maids entered the Goblin Princes' room; it never appeared to get any cleaner. Toys littered the floor, the table where the boys ate their meals when their parents were too busy to eat with them was littered with dirty dishes and unfinished meals, the beds were unmade and looked like someone had been treating them like trampolines, the wardrobes had their doors wide open and drawers spilling out of them, clothes - both clean and dirty - were lying on the floor and on the furniture, and the room simply looked like a tornado went through it.

To Shaylee's dismay her sons were not among the chaos. "Labyrinth, where are those two goblins I call sons?" An image of a section in the Labyrinth Shaylee knew all too well flashed in front of her eyes. With a weary groan, Shaylee teleported herself to one of the places she hated visiting - the Fiery Forest.

Liron and Trystan were playing limbo with a group of Fieries and it looked like the party happy creatures were using a leg as the limbo pole. Shaylee wondered where Blythe was and why the Fay servant wasn't watching the boys. Instead of interrupting the game, the mother leaned against the tree to watch. It astonished her how fast her boys were growing up.

Her eyes fell on Liron, the eldest of the two by a minute. His head of blonde hair stuck up in any direction it wished and no amount of combing or magic could get it to settle into place. Liron's electric blue eyes sparkled with mischief practically all the time but they also could hold a glimmer of wisdom that surpassed his young age. _Just like his father_, Shaylee chuckled to herself as her husband's image came to mind. The young woman's attention swung to the shorter of the twins, Trystan. He was the mirror image of a typical Sprite boy. Liron didn't have ears like a Sprite but Trystan did. Trystan's hair was a lighter shade of auburn and was also a curly mass. His eyes were gray and were equally filled with mischief but he was quieter and more subdued than his brother. Liron was a boy of action while Trystan thought out his pranks, making them more elaborate. Her sons were a dynamic duo.

Shaylee's mind continued wandering. She didn't notice her husband's presence behind her until his arms wrapped around her waist to pull her back against his broad chest. "I've finally found you." He whispered, sure that Shaylee would hear - maybe even Trystan would too.

"I wasn't hiding from you." She stated. "So everything is all settled?"

Jareth nodded. "Yes. The lord and lady have left. We were invited to the ball celebrating the baby." His announcement was met with silence. Bending down, the king kissed his wife's cheek - finding tears there. Sighing, Jareth turned Shaylee to face him. "Love, you _must_ stop this."

"I know and I _do_ try." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I just can't help getting attached to each one of them. I want to keep them all." Shaylee smirked. "No need to tell me we can't. I already know that."

"Mum! Da!" Liron shouted, spotting his parents beside the tree. He abandoned the Fieries and their game to run up to Shaylee and Jareth, throwing his arms around Jareth's waist while Trystan hugged Shaylee. "Have you come to play with us?" Liron questioned hopefully.

Shaylee hid the tears quickly, not wanting to upset her sons. A grin broke out over her face. "Indeed but not here. I was hoping to take you to the hills today."

Trystan's eyes widened with excitement. "We can fly our kites?"

"And practice making bubbles?" Liron's smile grew even more.

Before either parent could answer, every noise in the Labyrinth quieted. It seemed as if time had stopped. A woman's angry voice echoed throughout the Underground kingdom. _"I wish the goblins from that story would take you away! You've ruined my life!"_ A gust of wind blew through the forest, scattering leaves and loose hanging branches. The Labyrinth groaned and the ground beneath the family's feet began shifting.

Jareth gently but firmly untangled himself from Liron's grasp and handed his son's hand to Shaylee. "Take the boys home. The child will be in the Goblin Throne Room." Shaylee nodded, sadness etching her features. The couple vanished from the forest, going in opposite directions.

Shaylee reappeared in her sons' room with both boys holding her hands tightly. Liron let go and stalked over to his bed, flopping down to pout. "I wanted to go to the hills!"

"So did I, Liron." His mother sighed as she settled down in one of the miraculously clean seats. Trystan sat down on the floor by her feet and began fiddling with a toy soldier. Liron mumbled underneath his breath. Trystan gasped and looked up at Shaylee to see if she had heard. Shaylee turned to stare at her eldest son with pain and anger in her eyes. "Liron! I do _not_ love the wished away children more than you or your brother. I truly _did_ want to spend the day with you." She felt tears stinging her eyes but she refused to cry in front of her boys.

Liron's anger melted away to shame. He hopped off his bed and ran to his mother's side. "I'm sorry, Mum."

She hugged him - the words forgiven but not so easily forgotten. "I know you didn't mean it, dear one." She pressed a kiss to his cheek, ignoring his scrunched up face of disgust and the hand that rubbed the spot. "Maybe the runner won't take so long this time. I'll ask Blythe to watch the child and maybe we can convince your father to spare a day with us before he must start looking for a family for the child. Fair enough?" The boys nodded, the happiness lost returning in a small measure. Shaylee stood and patted her boys' heads. "I'm off. Be good until Blythe comes. Understand?"

"Yes, Mum." The twins answered in unison.

Shaylee transported herself to the throne room and wasn't surprised in the least to find almost every goblin in the Goblin City lounging about the room. _Jareth hasn't returned yet._ Her shoulders sagged. The wisher might have taken the challenge. It was the only explanation for why the Goblin King had not returned. Her eyes searched the room for the wished away child. _Strange. The child isn't crying and I cannot seem to be able to locate the little one._ "Please be quiet." She ordered. The goblins silenced and looked up at her expectantly. Jareth silenced them with fear and respect - Shaylee silenced them with adoration and respect. It never ceased to amaze Jareth how his wife could simply speak in a whisper and get the goblins' attention.

"Where is the child?" She asked the nearest goblin. He pointed toward the pit with cushions and pillows. Shaylee walked over to the spot and knelt down. To her surprise, there was a baby girl lying on top of a pillow, staring silently up at the ceiling. "There you are." The Goblin Queen cooed, lifting the baby into her arms. "You don't appear to be more than a year old." She murmured to herself, looking the child over. The baby was dressed in a pink footie pajama piece, her black hair looked smooth and shiny, and her hazel eyes continued staring at the ceiling.

A frown creased Shaylee's features. "You're such a darling little thing. I wonder why you were wished away." She continued talking to the little baby but as time went on, the young woman noticed something different about the little girl in her arms. A goblin had walked over to the Goblin Queen's side to take a peek at the baby but the child didn't seem to notice. When the goblin dangled a small toy on a string over the little girl's head, she still stared at the ceiling. Worried, Shaylee stood and went to go sit in Jareth's throne. The goblins knew that when Shaylee sat there, that meant she wished to be left alone with the baby. She blocked out the sounds of the goblins returning to their games and focused solely on the little girl in her arms.

Shaylee began tugging at the silk gloves on her hands - something she started wearing when she gained her powers after the Seelie Court ruled that Sprites could return to being High Fays and when she married Jareth, gaining strong powers from the Labyrinth - and placed a cool hand on the infant's forehead. Concentrating on the child, she channeled some magic into the baby very carefully. The magic searched for a reason to the baby's lack of attention and once the answer was found, returned to Shaylee with the news. A gasp escaped the queen's lips. _She's blind!_ She pulled her gloves back on, glancing about the room to see if a goblin noticed her distress - none did. Shaylee's gray eyes looked down at the girl, her heart sinking within her. _Jareth will turn her into a goblin. He can't! He just can't do that. She's - she's - _"Perfect." She whispered.

The Labyrinth hummed sadly. Instead of an image or a memory, a conversation went through her head. _"Diana why don't you give Ella up? You can't take care of her." A man's voice dripped with a false ring of kindness and sympathy._

_"Don't you think I wanted to? Mom won't let me. She said that Ella was my mistake so I have to live with the consequences! Like how was I supposed to know this was going to happen?" The woman's voice sounded bitter and cold._

_The man's voice let go of the charade. "Well, doll, I won't stay with you if the blind kid stays."_

Shaylee gulped back the tears and shook the voices from her head. She could only assume that the voices were the baby Ella's birth parents. "How could they not see how precious you are?" A warning chirp came from the Labyrinth. The Sprite looked up in time to see Jareth beginning to materialize.

"The mother was going to run the Labyrinth but once she took one look at it, she forfeited." He informed his wife and subjects. Jareth ascended the steps to the throne and looked down at the baby in Shaylee's arms. "I'll need to start looking for a family for her."

"Um - could that wait?" Shaylee inquired, trying to think of a way to distract Jareth from noticing Ella's blindness. "The boys were so looking forward to spending time with us. It would be just for a few hours. Blythe can take care of the baby till we get back."

Jareth sighed wearily. "The list of families looking for a child is still sitting on my desk. It shouldn't take very long to go through."

"The list will still be there when you get back." Shaylee pressed.

"I'll speak to Reus; have him start looking through the papers." Jareth conceded. "While I do that we'll give the Labyrinth time to revert to its usual state. I'll meet you and the boys there." He bent down to press a kiss to Shaylee's lips before he turned to dismiss the goblins. The young woman stood up, deciding that she would walk to the nursery instead of teleporting there. She needed time to think. Jareth never asked her about the state of the child's health. He usually found out for himself before deciding if the wished away child was suitable for adoption. He would find out eventually. She was only delaying the inevitable.

Upon reaching the nursery, Shaylee found Blythe already there waiting for them. "I see we have another little one and so soon!" The Fay woman shook her head, letting tendrils of dark brown hair escape from the bun at the base of her head. She walked over to Shaylee's side to look at the still silent baby. "Calm little thing, isn't she?"

"Blythe," Shaylee whispered worriedly, "she's blind." Her head lifted to look at her friend. "What will I do?"

"Are you positive?" Blythe frowned as the Sprite nodded in the affirmative. "Well there's not much you _can_ do."

"I don't want her to be turned into a goblin." Shaylee insisted, walking briskly over to the crib. She gently placed Ella among the blankets, never taking her gray eyes off of the little girl.

"Did he say he was going to make her a goblin?" the Fay woman asked.

The young woman shook her head. "I didn't tell him that she was blind." Looking up at her stunned friend with a pained expression, she said, "I just couldn't bear to hear him say that she would become a goblin!"

A very solemn look came to Blythe's brown eyes. "Shaylee, how long do you plan on keeping this information from him? Jareth will find out eventually and if he learns that you weren't telling him on purpose -"

"_Please_, Blythe! Promise me you won't say a word to Jareth." The young queen begged.

"This was bound to happen eventually! You must let her go." Blythe walked up to Shaylee and took the young woman's hands in a firm grasp. The Sprite would not meet Blythe's penetrating gaze. With a sigh, the Fay woman patted Shaylee's hand. "I promise I will be silent, but _you_ must tell him." Shaylee nodded her head glumly. "I heard from someone that you plan on taking the boys out for the afternoon. I'll watch over the girl until you return."

"Thank you." Shaylee said in a hushed voice. She left the nursery, her heart not any lighter.

~*~/*\~*~

Shaylee lay in bed beside her sleeping husband but she was wide awake. Her mind was traveling a mile a minute, trying to think of a way to convince Jareth that Ella was able enough to live in the Underground. Turning her head, she watched Jareth while he slept. He always looked so calm and less intimidating in this state. A small smile tugged at her lips. She knew Jareth wouldn't refuse her anything - but there was always a first time for everything.

Slowly, she sat up. Shaylee slipped out of bed, trying not to wake Jareth. Pulling on a robe, gloves, and her slippers, Shaylee disappeared soundlessly. She reappeared in the nursery and tiptoed toward the crib. Wide, unseeing hazel eyes stared up at the ceiling. "You're awake?" Shaylee questioned aloud in surprise. Ella squirmed but otherwise was silent. Lifting the baby from the crib, Shaylee walked over to the rocking chair and settled down. "Most babies would cry for attention, you know." She teasingly informed Ella.

Ella blinked, turning her head slightly toward the kind voice. A kind voice was so foreign to her infant ears. Her little mouth opened in a yawn. Shaylee giggled, stroking a gloved hand across Ella's skin. "You should be asleep." Ella smiled at the gentle woman with the kind voice. "I bet I know how to get you to go to sleep." Shaylee cooed before singing a lullaby. She subdued a laugh when Ella's wide eyes grew rounder. Shaylee was almost certain no one ever sang the little baby to sleep. Eventually the round eyes grew heavy with sleep from the lullaby's soothing sound and the rocking motion of the chair. Ella drifted off to her own dreamland without a fuss.

~*~/*\~*~

Liron and Trystan ran through the halls, laughing all the way. They had played a prank on Hoggle and were now trying to avoid getting caught by the dwarf or Blythe. The pair was just running past the wished-away-nursery when Trystan skidded to a halt.

"Trys! Come on! We gotta find a hiding place." Liron kept running down the hall, his blonde hair flaring out around his head. Trystan ignored his brother and stepped quietly up toward the door. Opening it a crack, he peered into the room. Liron rolled his eyes and backtracked to where his brother was standing. "_Trystan_!" he whined, "You know Mum and Da don't want us playing with the wished away child."

"Mum's singing." Trystan whispered back, not turning away from the door. "There's something different about it." Liron pushed his way beneath his brother so he could look into the room too. Shaylee was sitting in the rocking chair and singing to the little girl in her arms.

Being bolder than Trystan, Liron opened the door wide enough to wriggle in. He ran up to the side of the rocking chair. "Who's this, Mum?"

Shaylee wasn't surprised that her sons were in the room. She had heard them running through the hall and had heard Trystan at the door. Smiling at her boys she nodded down at Ella. "This is Ella. She will be staying with us for a while." Trystan walked over to the chair to get a look at the baby girl.

Liron waved at Ella. "Hello, Ella! I'm Liron." He frowned when the baby made no response or didn't appear to have seen him. "What's wrong with her?"

Shaylee held her breath. She didn't think Liron would notice right away. He took after his father. If Liron could tell there was something amiss with the baby girl, then surely Jareth would as well. Releasing her pent up breath slowly, she answered, "Ella is blind. That means she can't see." The boys looked at her for a long time then down at Ella.

"Why?" Trystan queried.

"She was born that way." Shaylee answered reaching out to brush a hand over Ella's hair. A tiny smile spread across the little girl's face. Liron reached out a cautious finger and poked Ella's nose. Her hazel eyes widened but a giggle escaped her lips. "Well!" The Sprite chuckled in surprise. "That's the first time she's laughed."

Liron beamed with pride, pleased that he was able to elicit the reaction. Trystan frowned slightly before looking up at his mother. "Can I hold her?" Shaylee hesitated. Normally the boys never came to the nursery, simply because they couldn't play with the children wished away. She and Jareth didn't want the boys to grow attached to the children. _One time couldn't hurt._

"Here, sit in the chair." Shaylee stood up to make room for Trystan. He hopped up into the chair and waited eagerly. "Hold out your arms." She instructed, "Now be gentle with her. There you go." Trystan stared in wide-eyed wonder at the baby in his arms.

Ella's once happy expression turned into blank confusion. She knew that this person holding her was different – not as big. This person was gentle too though. Sighing contentedly, she shut her eyes. She was tired after all. The two new people visiting her were loud.

"She's falling asleep!" Trystan exclaimed then blushed when Ella squirmed in his arms. He repeated himself in a whisper, "She's falling asleep."

Shaylee smiled. "She must like you then."

"_I _made her laugh." Liron reminded them. Their mother laughed quietly as she retrieved Ella to return the baby to the crib.

"You two need to run along now." She stated, pulling a blanket over the slumbering babe. "Let Ella sleep in peace and quiet." The boys left as quietly as little boys could. Shaylee stood in the now silent room for several seconds more. She whispered, "Sleep tight." before turning to leave.

~*~/*\~*~

Shaylee glanced over her shoulder at Ella, who was sitting quietly on the floor and staring blankly at the wall. The young woman smiled sadly. It was hard to get the little girl to do anything. The little girl was so quiet and rarely played with a toy offered to her.

Ella looked like she was lost in a world that she couldn't see. Shaylee knew that the little girl could hear well – her sense of hearing compensating for her lack of sight. Perhaps Ella needed more encouragement to develop her senses. Turning her back on the clothes she had been folding, Shaylee stood facing the little girl sitting in the center of the room.

"Ella?" Shaylee called to the girl and waited. The baby blinked and tilted her head toward the sound of the woman's voice. The young woman smiled and knelt on the floor. "Come here, Ella." Shaylee continued coaxing the little girl to come toward her. Slowly, Ella got onto her knees. The Sprite's voice sounded so inviting and encouraging. The little girl thought that she would get some reward for going toward the woman whose voice was so kind.

The only problem for Ella was that she didn't know what to do. She had never needed to do anything for herself before. Putting one hand out, the little baby began crawling across the room. Shaylee's voice carried the smile on her face. Ella guessed she must be doing something right. However, the young woman forgot that the room was large and sounds tended to echo slightly off the stone walls. Eventually, Ella became very confused. Becoming frustrated, the girl settled back on her behind and began whining.

"Ella, you were doing so well!" Shaylee encouraged. "I'm over here." But Ella wasn't budging from her seat. Sighing, the woman thumped her hand on the ground before standing. Ella's head turned toward the sound. Placing bare hands on the stone floor, the blind girl tapped the floor. She went very still then started crawling toward the astonished Sprite. Shaylee watched in silent amazement as Ella crawled all the way up to the standing adult. Ella stretched out a hand and tugged on Shaylee's dress.

"Good girl, Ella!" Shaylee laughed as she scooped the baby into her arms. She hugged the infant, giving the girl a kiss on one chubby cheek. Ella squealed with laughter. This reward was perfect!

~*~/*\~*~

Jareth sighed as he settled back into his office chair. He was bored of all the paper work he was piled under. Lazily he stood and turned to look out the large window. Absentmindedly he thought of his wife and sons. When was the last time he had spent quality time with his boys? _Other than disciplining them for dropping a bucket of mud on top of Hoggle's head._ The Goblin King grinned and chuckled at the image of the irate dwarf and less than sorry boys. The Labyrinth vibrated in amusement as well.

"I haven't seen Shaylee in a while either." He murmured to the empty room. It was true. Jareth either woke up before she did or woke up to find that she had left in the night to tend to the wished away girl. "The sooner I find a home for the child the better." Jareth decided as he turned back to the list of possible parents. He was startled when the Labyrinth conveyed its sadness at this announcement. "Don't get attached." Jareth warned the creature. _Sooner than soon. I better visit the girl tonight._

~*~/*\~*~

Shaylee had been called away from the nursery by Blythe to see to a problem with the boys. The Sprite had asked a goblin to watch over Ella for the time she would be away. Shaylee smiled to herself as she walked through the halls.

Ella had started acting like a regular child ever since Shaylee had 'showed' the baby that she _could_ be a regular child. Ella listened intently and used the vibrations created by her hands hitting the stone floor. Shaylee was surprised when the Labyrinth started 'talking' and vibrating – she was even more surprised when Ella laughed and appeared to hear and feel the Labyrinth's form of communication.

Liron and Trystan visited the human girl frequently to play with her. Shaylee knew she should stop them but seeing the boys encouraging the little girl – making her so happy – Shaylee just couldn't do it. Ella needed happiness.

At that last thought, the smile disappeared. While she was talking to Blythe about the boys, Blythe had confronted the Sprite about Ella. _I know I need to tell Jareth – but I just _can't _let him turn her into a goblin!_ Determination set in the Goblin Queen. She would convince him. He would see that she was right.

Coming to the intricately carved door of the nursery, Shaylee reached a hand out to open it. As the door swung open, she called out pleasantly, "I'm back!" She noticed that Ella wasn't on the floor with the toys, next she noticed a pair of leather boots, and as her gray eyes rose to look up at the expressionless face of her husband, Shaylee felt a sinking sensation in her heart. "Jareth!" she managed to say in a hushed voice.

The Goblin King stood holding the silent baby, glaring at the Sprite woman standing in the door. "How long, Shaylee?"

She didn't pretend ignorance of what he meant. "Ever since I first held her." Shaylee entered the room and silently closed the door behind her. Looking away from his penetrating blue eyes, she took a shaky breath. "I was going to tell you."

"When?" He demanded. "Were you going to tell me when I told a prospective family? Can you imagine how devastated they would have been when I told them that there _wasn't_ a child ready for them?" Jareth's voice remained low and patronizing – the only hint that she had that he was livid was the formal tone he was using.

"There is nothing wrong with her." Shaylee responded.

"Nothing? _Nothing_? Nothing tra-la-la?" Jareth set Ella down on the floor among the toys and stormed up to Shaylee, mere inches from her. "She is _blind_! Or have you not noticed?"

Shaylee's head snapped up, fire sparking in her eyes. "Yes! Yes I _have_ noticed!" Her voice rose as she said, "It is _because_ she is blind that she was wished away! There is _nothing_ wrong with her being blind. She is smart, and charming, and sweet –" Shaylee silenced when a worried whimper came from Ella's lips. She glanced down at the little girl before saying in a calmer tone, "Ella needs love, Jareth. She would hate living as a blind goblin. I – I just know."

"Ella? You _named_ her?" Jareth's eyes narrowed, ignoring the tirade his wife just exhibited.

"No. That _is_ her name." Shaylee defended herself and the girl. "The Labyrinth showed me – or allowed me to hear – Ella's memories."

He turned his back on her and began pacing. "I told you not to get attached!" Jareth shook his head, exasperated. "No one would take her! No one wants a blind child."

"I would take her." Shaylee announced and gasped slightly at her own admission and because she knew exactly what Jareth was about to say.

The Goblin King turned slowly on his feet, gloved hands firmly clasped behind his back. "_What_ did you _just_ say?" She knew she didn't need to repeat herself and she wasn't about to. She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin defiantly, daring him to speak. Jareth stood staring at her. "You can't."

"Why not?" She challenged. "I love her. I want her."

"What about the boys?" Jareth asked.

Shaylee knew that what she was about to say was going to get her into a great deal of trouble. "They adore her as much as I do."

A scowl formed on his face and his jaw clenched. Jareth took several deep breathes before he spoke. "We agreed – that we would not let the boys get attached to the wished away children." He shook his head as Shaylee opened her mouth to speak, interrupting her before she said anything more. "_No_, Shaylee. She _will_ become a goblin. The spell is already in place."

Gasping as if she were in pain, Shaylee felt tears trickling down her face. "No. Please no, Jareth." The Goblin King remained silent, not showing how her heartache was affecting him. "_Please_, Jareth. I love her. I'll love her every day! Please don't do this. I've never asked to keep one of the children before and I'll never ask again. Jareth – Jareth, please!"

"I am the king. It is ultimately my decision." He stated coolly.

Her gaze fell on the little girl who was sitting among the toys, oblivious to the turmoil and the spell that would soon take its toll. Shaylee walked over to where Ella was sitting and knelt down beside the little girl. Shaylee brushed a gentle hand down the girl's cheek. Ella smiled, reaching out a hand to touch the face of the familiar woman. A watery smile spread across the Sprite's face. Leaning close, Shaylee pressed her trembling lips to Ella's wavy black hair. "I love you. Always remember that." she whispered before pulling away.

Quickly standing, Shaylee's hurried steps took her to the door, which she wrenched open, and she disappeared down the hall as fast as she could. Jareth stood silently in the nursery, stubbornly believing that what he was doing was the right choice. The Labyrinth once again communicated its displeasure and also pulled to Jareth's mind the image of the brokenhearted queen. The king tossed his hands up and plopped himself into the rocking chair. Not only had he managed to upset his wife, but the Labyrinth as well. _This is clearly not my day._ He ran a gloved hand through his mess of hair, eyeing the little girl that was fingering a rather furry looking stuffed animal.

Ella paused in what she was doing at the sound of another longsuffering sigh. She wondered where the nice lady had gone. The new visitor from earlier had rescued her from the strange creature's attempts to play. Ella liked the man's voice instantly and his gentle touch was similar to the lady's – but then he went very still and quiet. The lady's voice made her happy but when the lady and the man began talking – there had been a tension in the room. Ella was scared when the nice lady's voice became angry but that didn't last long at all. Then the lady sounded sad.

She wasn't sure, but now she didn't think the lady was even in the room anymore. Ella patted the stone floor, feeling for vibrations that would hit against the objects in the room or a person should there be one in the room with her. The little girl's actions did not go unnoticed. Jareth watched in curiosity as Ella repeated the method of finding people or things.

Ella leaned forward on her hands and knees to begin crawling toward the only big person in the room. Jareth continued observing the little girl as she crawled all the way up to him, latching her arms around his leg. Hesitantly, he lifted the little girl up and into his lap. "I'll hand it to Shaylee," he said quietly, "she was correct when she said you were a bright little thing." _I wonder what it is about you that has captured her heart so._ Slipping a glove off, Jareth placed a hand over Ella's head as he had done earlier. Concentrating on her, Jareth focused some magic on her.

_Ella's 'memories' were simply dark – a void with sound. Yet Jareth could tell when she was happy, sad, or scared. The voice of the woman who had wished her away – Ella's mother – was angry, blaming the little girl for being disowned by her parents and abandoned by her boyfriend. Her father's voice was disgusted, wishing for a son or at least a kid who could see._

_ Then came the sounds of goblin voices. The sounds were so unfamiliar to the infant. Ella resorted to survival mode – be as silent as possible and hope no one noticed her. But a calm woman's voice – Shaylee's – spoke out and silenced the noisy goblins. Shaylee picked up the baby girl and began talking to her. Ella remained unresponsive, completely confused by this person._

_ Shaylee kept coming back and every time she spoke, Ella was happy. Liron and Trystan's voices interrupted one of Shaylee's songs. Liron made her laugh. She never laughed before! Trystan was gentle. Ella liked these kind boys. They came and played with her. She felt special._

_ Shaylee taught the little girl to explore this world around her. Whenever she tapped the floor – fuzzy images formed in her mind. Ella was able to 'see' the room that once was simply the place she slept and ate. Shaylee became something more than a voice. When Ella first touched Shaylee's smiling face, she vaguely made out the Sprite's features. But it was Shaylee's voice that Ella enjoyed the most. When Shaylee said, 'I love you' – it was lovelier than any song that the human girl ever heard. Ella loved this woman too._

Jareth sighed as he pulled his hand away from Ella's forehead. She yawned, snuggling against him. It was obvious that the spell was taking its toll on her. His blue eyes took in all of the girl's features. "Shaylee was right about you." He stated. Hazel eyes opened briefly. Ella smiled up at the kind man's voice. She liked him too. Jareth found himself smiling as well. This girl was a wonder. With a thought, he canceled the spell placed on the blind girl.

~*~/*\~*~

Shaylee sat on the edge of a fountain somewhere in the Labyrinth. Cornshimmer, the fairy, was sitting on Shaylee's shoulder, trying to coax the melancholy Sprite into a conversation. Tears were still stinging her eyes, her heart still aching in her chest.

The sound of leather boots against the stone pavement alerted Shaylee to Jareth's approach. Her shoulders sagged. She didn't want to talk to him right now but she was to weary with sorrow to even try to lift herself from where she sat. She refused to turn to look up at him when he stopped some steps away from her. Her gray eyes tried focusing on her reflection but her gaze was still blurred.

"Do you truly love the child?" Jareth demanded silently. Not trusting her voice, or where her husband was going with this question, Shaylee nodded. He walked up to where she sat and settled down next to her. She stubbornly refused to look at him. "Perhaps there is a family for her then." Jareth announced.

"What?" Shaylee looked up at his loving gaze then down at the baby he was holding in his arms. She laughed and cried at the same time, looking from Ella to Jareth then back again. He handed the baby over to her and wrapped his arms around them both. "Thank you." Shaylee whispered gratefully.

Jareth pressed a kiss to her forehead then bent to do the same to Ella. "Now I have a little princess." He smiled at Shaylee. "I love you."

~*~/*\~*~

"Then I became a Fay and we all lived happily ever after!" Ella announced with a yawn.

"Indeed." The pair looked up at the door where Jareth stood watching them with an amused smirk on his face. He walked into the room and pressed a kiss to Shaylee's head before bending down to kiss Ella's cheek as well. "Story time is over and now you must go to sleep.

Ella wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a tight hug. "Good night, Da."

"Good night my little princess." Jareth smiled as he backed away. Ella hugged Shaylee as well, bidding her mother a good night. Tucking the covers around the little girl once more, Shaylee smiled lovingly as she backed away. The parents left the room, slowly closing the door. "Isn't that the one hundred and fiftieth time you've told that story to her?" Jareth asked.

Shaylee tugged his hand, signaling for him to follow her. "I don't know. Is it? I've lost count." She grinned over her shoulder at him. "I don't mind though. I like the memories."

"Most of them any way." Jareth supplied for her. His wife shook her head, not wanting to discuss what he was referencing. He chuckled as he picked up his pace so he was walking beside her. "I love that story too." Wrapping an arm around Shaylee's shoulder Jareth's smile widened. "I love my Goblin Princess."

**The End**

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**Soooooo? =) Review please!  
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